CHAPTER 11 FOR REVLON

The 90-year-old New York-based beauty company, whose brands include namesake Revlon, Elizabeth Arden and Almay, has been struggling with a hefty pile of debt listed as $3.7 billion that it spent much of 2020 renegotiating, which enabled it to avoid a more formal restructuring process then. But supply chain issues, soaring inflation and increased competition from the likes of The Estée Lauder Cos. and Coty Inc. and a plethora of digital start-ups have only exacerbated the situation, and these factors combined with loans coming up for renewal forced it to once again consider bankruptcy.

Today’s filing will allow Revlon to offer our consumers the iconic products we have delivered for decades, while providing a clearer path for our future growth.

In the filing, Revlon stated that it is receiving a $575 million in debtor-in-possession financing from its existing lender base, which in addition to the existing working capital facility, will provide liquidity to support day-to-day operations.

AHLUWALIA LONDON 2023

The label combines elements from the designer’s dual Indian-Nigerian heritage and London roots. It explores the potential of vintage and surplus clothing by giving existing material a new life through various textile and patchwork techniques. This means that many Ahluwalia pieces are one of a kind.

Inspired by art, music and literature, much of the work created by Ahluwalia go beyond her collections and include collaborative campaigns, books and films.

Ahluwalia is deemed as a pioneer in the fashion industry and is regularly featured in press from all over the world, from the New York Times and i-D to Vogue and many more.

Ahluwalia is available in renowned stores worldwide, including Matches Fashion, Browns, Bergdorf Goodman, Ssense and Nordstrom.

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GUCCI JEWELRY

Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele is still amazed by the trajectory of this particular brand segment in presenting the brand’s third high jewelry collection.

Jewels are alive, I wanted them back to real life. They mark major milestones in our lives.  In addition to wearing them on the runway, I wear them everywhere I go, at work, for breakfast, on the street,” he continued, pointing out Gucci’s innovative step by presenting high jewelry designs alongside ready-to-wear.

According to Michele, the campaign art directed by Ezra Petronio and shot by Mert Marcus may seem counterintuitive, since the jewels are one-of-a-kind and may already be unavailable before the campaign is over.

He aims to create an imaginary world around the jewels by creating “unique and special pieces”. To wit, this collection is divided according to five themes. Continue reading

GUCCI HOUSE OF CARDS

After achieving its previous revenue target of 10 billion euros in 2021, Gucci has set its sights on revenues of 15 billion euros. Comparatively, Louis Vuitton, owned by rival French conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, generated revenues of 16.7 billion euros in 2021.

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THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF LUXURY

After Elon Musk, Internet users can now follow the journeys of the personal plane of the prince of luxury. For several days, a website highlights the extremely polluting, and sometimes even useless, travels of the Lord, president of “Mouette and Psy”.

Indeed, the account reveals impressive CO2 emissions. Last month the private jet spent 176 tons of CO2, it means 17 years of consumption for an average French person. The CEO of the group owns a private jet “Bombardier Global Express” at an estimated value of 48M€, without options. Combining performance and comfort, this business jet is considered as one of the most efficient private jets in the world. It has a range of 13,000 km, allowing it to fly internationally to its 54-square kilometer island paradise in Bahamas.

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SKKN HIGHT PRICE FOR LOW CARE

It’s no surprise that Kim Kardashian’s new skin care brand, Skkn by Kim, has generated buzz. The line is also under scrutiny due to its price tag of $630 for a nine-step routine consisting of a toner, exfoliator, hyaluronic acid serum, vitamin C8 serum, face cream, eye cream, oil drops and night oil.

Kardashian’s line may not be available in your nearest drugstore, but it is actually quite affordable compared to some other skin care brands.

Those interested and with deep enough pockets can check out beauty’s most expensive skin care routines. Prepare to spend. But everyone knows that the margins are colossal, and that the same factories manufacture the same product whether it is Farmasi or KKS. So think about it before spending thousands of dollars.

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SEPHORA BROKE THE MANAGER

The only hamburger that the lord loves was Karl Lagerfeld. As of the end of the month, Martin Brok, who was appointed CEO and president in September 2020, will depart from the company. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s chairman and CEO, Chris de Lapuente, who also oversees the group’s Perfumes and Cosmetics activities, will serve as president and chief executive officer of Sephora.

I have no comment, but according to an internal release obtained Brok’s departure is “due to a divergence of views.” Would the relationship with the lord be difficult?

Brok prior to that he was at Nike for eight years, where he oversaw the company’s direct to consumer business and was vice president of global product and merchandising operations and analytics.

His departure comes at a critical moment for Sephora, the only prestige beauty retailer with a global presence. Employment, how do you explain the labor shortage that threatens several sectors?

THE CIRCLE BUSINESS BY LVMH

British designer Steven Stokey-Daley, 25, has captured hearts and minds with his theatrical shows at London Fashion Week that view the British class system through a queer lens, gaining high-profile fans including Harry Styles, who wore his graduate collection in his “Golden” music video.

Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett revealed the winner at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in the presence of jury members including Kim Jones; Maria Grazia Chiuri; Nigo, the new artistic director of Kenzo; Silvia Venturini Fendi; Stella McCartney; Nicolas Ghesquière; Jonathan Anderson, and Delphine Arnault, the force behind the prize and a key talent scout at luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

The Nigerian-born, London-raised designer Idris Balogun impressed the judges with his menswear brand Winnie, rooted in his experience as an apprentice on London’s exclusive Savile Row, and as a senior menswear designer for Burberry and Tom Ford.

The jury was moved by the mettle of a group of designers emerging in the midst of a global pandemic.

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VIRGIL POST MORTEM

Vuitton announced Tuesday that it would stage a spin-off show in Thailand’s capital on June 1 at 7:30 p.m. local time. It is to be livestreamed on the brand’s website. In the original fall 2022 collection, nine never-before-seen pieces explore three ideas: the coming-of-age theme, the global perspective and the circle of creativity  through circular motifs.

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TIFFANY AND COLOR

Tiffany & Co’s new pop-up in Paris is hard to resist describing as a jewel box. With its circular rooms laid out like a couple of engagement rings or a drop earring, the boutique at 34 Avenue Montaigne serves as a mini museum and calling card for the American firm’s fine and high jewelry, as only gold and diamond baubles are available here.

Saturday marked the opening of the 650-square-foot space for a one-year residency. It used to be occupied by Dior Joaillerie, which moved into the Dior megastore across the street earlier this year.

Visitors wander through the archives, which are displayed under glass pyramids or in cases embedded in the walls and which display digital images and historical information. Upon viewing the jewelry set the eye is drawn to the densely stacked pearls, an unsigned design from Tiffany and Co. cofounder Charles Lewis Tiffany’s and JB Young’s heyday when they were selling fancy goods on Broadway in New York City as well as the elaborate gold charm depicting the Arc de Triomphe. Continue reading

CAVALLI 2023 RESORT

Since his appointment as creative consultant two years ago, Fausto Puglisi has been proving that the animal-printed universe of Roberto Cavalli suits.

Not only did the Sicilian designer help to rev up the label and put it back in the spotlight, with celebrities from Megan Thee Stallion to Dua Lipa but he seems to have cracked the code of making its strong identity and signature seductive aesthetics relevant for today

COCO FASHION MANIFESTO

Following the storming success of the “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams” exhibition, Chanel will do a exhibition for September 2023.

“Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto” will be the first U.K. exhibition dedicated to the work of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. It will look to chart the evolution of Chanel’s designs from the opening of her first millinery boutique in Paris in 1910, to the show of her final collection in 1971. 180 looks seen together for the first time, the exhibition will explore the designer’s democratic, offbeat approach to fashion, which paved the way for a new way of dressing.

Key pieces on display will include outfits created for British model Anne Gunning (later Lady Nutting) and Hollywood actresses Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich.

Through eight themed sections, the exhibition will explore Chanel’s innovative approach to fabric, silhouette and construction and will examine how she drafted a new framework for fashion in the 20th century. Continue reading

CHANEL NO MORE RUSSIA

The retailer grew by double digits in the first five months of the year as strong sales in other parts of the world compensated for the closure of stores in Russia and China.

Chanel earns less than 1.5 percent of its revenue from Russia. There are 31 percent Chanel employees still under lockdown in mainland China. Five of its 16 boutiques there have closed, and 35 fragrance and beauty stores, roughly equivalent to a third of its network, have also been shuttered.

We’ve maintained our momentum despite the headwinds and uncertainties we face. Chanel outperformed competitors such as Kering, which reported an organic sales increase of 13 percent compared to 2019. Profitability at Chanel, which is privately owned and run by the Wertheimer family, improved significantly. A margin of 34.9 percent was logged, up from 20.3 percent in 2020.

Chanel announced in March that it was increasing the price of its four core handbag styles and spring rtw collection in multiple regions. Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, Chanel has raised its prices six times, including an adjustment last November.

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BALENCIAGA THE COINS OF FETISHISM

The show invitation was a wad of fake $100 bills (sadly fake, but amazingly realistic). Money is America’s obsession, for better or worse.  This vision of perverted power dressing, which had models in full latex suits, was rooted in fetishism.

In a world filled with stock symbols, their ponytails, braids, and thick eyelashes poked out of slits as they walked around Wall Street’s money pit.

For the last two years, we have been sitting at home trying to come up with digital things.  Fashion is a reflection of our terrifying world, and if it triggers fear or terror, it is the fault of the human being. Strip away the drama, and what becomes clear is that Balenciaga is becoming a true powerhouse among the fashion designers.

There was a fabulous 1980s-nostalgic double-breasted black blazer in a triangle silhouette over a skirt; a black-and-white polka dot pleated silk plisse dress with padded shoulders and flared sleeves, or a long, lean camel coat.

The outerwear was uniformly strong, from oversize, drape-y trenches to collarless robe coats and beautiful wrap coats to be a a package, well almost. Finally the only star here was Adidas.

DIOR LORD OF DOGTOWN

Thursday night, here is the diction of a remarkable fashion of Dior, Kim and the other. The house had closed two L.A. avenues, even adding its own letters “ERL Dior” to the historic “Venice” on the neighborhood sign. A collection presented on an ocean blue runway with two waves with foam crest, as elements of decor, symbolizing the new wave that is currently tearing fashion and its slow mutation, the dark luminosity for one and the soft clarity for the other.
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LUXURY IS THE FUTURE FOR BURBERRY

Burberry as reporte record revenue and higher-than-expected profits in fiscal 2021-22 despite the lockdowns in China, war in Ukraine and rocketing inflation in the U.K., its home market.

Although Burberry’s new chief executive officer Jonathan Akeroyd didn’t reveal much about his strategy, it’s clear the future will be about gaining traction in the luxury market, focusing on the full-price business and wooing younger customers with fresh ideas and further strides in the environmental and social space.

It was the first time in two years that the company staged a live presentation at its London headquarters, and Akeroyd and Brown were in a bullish mood, optimistic about the future and the prospect that China will rebound mightily once local lockdowns lift.

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PATRIK FRISK FRISKED NEW JOB

After the close of the stock market, the Baltimore-based sports brand announced Frisk will leave the position on June 1. He has been CEO and president for just over two years.

While an internal and external search for a permanent CEO is underway, Frisk will be replaced on an interim basis by Colin Browne, chief operating officer. Brown joined the company as president of global sourcing in 2016 and was elevated to his current role in February 2020. Previously, he served as vice president and managing director for VF Corp. and worked for Li & Fung as well as Pentland Brands plc.

Sweden-born Frisk, who had held executive roles at The North Face, Timberland and Vans in addition to his experience at Aldo Group, instituted a $200 million, five-year turnaround plan with the aim of returning Under Armor to its original purpose as a sports brand. Continue reading

GUCCI THE LEGEND OF MACBETH

It was a stunning show staged by Alessandro Michele and his team Monday night, with old maps of constellations and shooting stars lighting up the 13th-century Castel del Monte in Italy. There were cascades of sequins embroidered on a few medieval gowns and on cool baggy denim jeans as the moon shone over the Apulian castle perched on a hill.

The hot Maneskin band attending the show and performing at the after-party might appreciate his all-leather trenchcoat and thigh-high boots, and the sequined tailored pantsuit could appeal to Elle Fanning or Dakota Johnson who were also at the event.

Gucci a brand that reported 2021 sales of 9.73 billion euros and while he realizes fashion reflects life and Gucci speaks to a global customer. Although the harlequin motif was a bit of a stretch, the medieval references ran from the multicolor graphic patterns to the collars with Elizabethan necklines.

A blue velvet embroidered gown was a stunner, but there were also prim ladylike suits and coats with mock-fur details. He also played up optical black and white patterns in body hugging dresses. But Michele’s Gucci woman is no wallflower and there were a few nude looks and flimsy chiffon minidresses.

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